Concrete ship.



C. Z. HUBBELL.

CONCRETE SHIP.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE l2. l9l8.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

fj I.

I .Mv I .17. l

/4 .A I y /6 j vhis:

s f d- 2 v /5 @Mum/1to1 C. Z. HUBBELL.

CONCRETE SHlP.

APPucATloN FILED JUNE 12. |918.

Patented Apr. 8,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 'unirse sin'rns refinar erwies.

CLARENCE Z. IIUBBELL, OF SPOKANE, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNOR TO HULL CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, OF SPOKAN E, WASHINGTON, A CORPORATION OF WASHINGTON.

CONCRETE SHIP.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Apr, 8, 1919.

Application led .Tune 12, 1918. Serial No. 239,528.

pleted hull of the ship an-d from which it is to 'be launched in usual manner, and in conjunction therewith a floating pontoon forming practically a portion of the dry dock but movable relative thereto. The dry dock supports the forms or shell upon which the sides of the hull are built, and the pontoon forms the support for the plates or sections upon which the bottom of the hull is laid, and these forms for both sides and bottom of the hull are adapted to be withdrawn from contact with the completed hull by movement caused by submerging the pontoon, relative tothe dry dock, after which the hull may be floated from the dock by submerging the dock as usual. In the accompanying drawing one complete example of the physical embodiment of the-invention is illustrated, constructed and arranged according to the best mode so far devised for the practical application of the principles of the invention.

Figure- 1 is a transverse sectional view through a dry dock and its pontoon, showing also the hull of a concrete vessel.

Fig. 2 Vis an enlarged view in transverse section and 4in perspective of aportion of the pontoon to illustrate the forms upon which the bottom of the vessel is laid, and

connecting partsthereto.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of one half of the dry. dock showing the hull 'of the Vessel therein.

Fig, 4 -is an enlarged sectional detail view at line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a similar view at line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

The dry dock 1 is ofthe usual standard floating and submersible type, being preferably constructed of metal and formed with the compartments 2, 2, etc., and also with a central wall 3 extending` longitudinally from end'to end of the dock. Spaced at regular intervals throughout the length of the dock are transverse beams 4l, which extend across the open well, and form supports for the central longitudinal girder 5 which is the .keel foundation for the vessel to be built and `supported thereon.

Within the well 3 a buoyant pontoon Gis located and floats, which is also made of metal sheets as usual, and isv submersible with relation to the dry dock and independent thereof, although, if desired and when necessary, both dry dock and pontoon may be submerged simultaneously, by filling with water in usual manner;

To conform to the transversebeams and longitudinal girder of the dry dock, which are integral with the dock and are located in the upper part of the well 3, the pontoon is specially constructed with a series.

of transverse, openslots 7 in -number equal to the number of transverse beams, and a central, longitudinal slot 8 conforming to the girder 5 of the dock, these slots being complementary to the beams and girder,` v

and they permit free, but limited and guided movement of the pontoon in a vertical direction when the pontoon is to be submerged,

or floated.

The concrete hull of the vessel kV is of j.

standard pattern or design, and as before r stated the bottom B of the hull is supported during the process of construction on the girder and beams of the dock, and the sides 3 are built up in usual way, the keel I' y as shown in Fig. l. c

u The bottom of the hull is laid on the sectional forms 9 that are made up of sheet being supported directly on the girder 5 metal plates properlyv riveted'togethe'i, eX-.z

tending from bow to stern along each side of the keel, and each of the sectional forms 1s provided with spaced webs l() at their Aundersides that extend outwardly from the keel K, the sectional form being inclined upwardly toward the sides of the hull to gui? Jie proper incline to the bottom of the u Slotted angle brackets 11 are secured in toon, for supporting the sectional forms, through the instrumentality of their webs 10, and the 'brackets are slotted vertically, eXcept the outermost bracket 11a, so that when the supported hull is to be freed, the pontoon may be submerged and moved downwardly from the hull, pulling immediately on the outer end of the web through the bracket 11* while the slotted brackets 11 permit the bolts 12a of the brackets to move down slightly before pulling on the web. Thus the movement of withdrawing the sectional form from the bottom of the hull starts at the outer sides of the hull, and the forms gradually separate/from the hull bottom beginning at the outer edge and finishing at the keel. In this manner the detachment of the lform from the concrete surface of the hull is accomplished'without danger of breaking or tearing away the material or marring or harming the hull on the bottom surface, as the pontoon is sunk and parts from the vessel.

At the outer ends of the sectional forms 9 they are formed with oblique edges 13, and at this point the forms for the sides of the vessel join with the forms for the bottom of the vessel, the forms for the side being supported, not on the pontoon, but from the inner walls ltof the sides of the dock.

The vertically disposed forms for the sides of the vessel are designated 15 and are composed of metallic plates riveted together to form a shell at each side of the vessel, against which the concrete for the sides of the vessel is built up in usual way. At special points the side forms are hinged as indicated at 14y near the bow and stern, so that when the hull has been completed and dried, the two sides of the shell may be entirely withdrawn from the hull to permit the hull to pass from the do-ck when floated or launched. These hinges extend vertically, and permit the withdrawal of the side forms as indicated in dotted lines Fig. 3.

At the outer face of each side formare arranged vertically disposed flanges 16, Va suitable number to each section of the forms, similar to the webs 10 of the bottom forms, and in these flanges are firmly secured at predetermined points, a number of screw ars 17 which thus project away from the vessel and are threaded in the sleeves 18 on the vertical bar 19 forming part of the supporting frame for the side form sections, which frame is supported through the caster 20 at the bottom of the bar that may travel on the track 21 which is supported from and projects from the dock. Some of these tracks are long and some are shorter, and those at the bow and stern ofthe form or shell are curved as indicated, to allow for the swing of the sections on their hinges 14 vhen the shell is withdrawn from the vesse These frames for supportingtheform sections are eXtensible and contractile, and are supported from the dock walls 14 by lugs 22 and a pair of pivoted links 28 and 24, the former pivoted to the ear or lug 22, the two links pivoted together at 25, and the link 24 pivoted at 26 to an ear 27 on the bar 19. The pivot points 25 of the links also form pivot points for a connecting rod 28, and it will be seen that the rod, when in normal position, holds the links horizontal, but when the rod is pulled and drawn downwardly, the links are drawn to angular position, the link 23 swinging downwardly on its pivot 22,-and thus drawing the form section from the side of the hull. At the bow and stern the side of the hull is a greater distance from the straight side o the dock than amidships, so that I utilize the links as a lazy tongs indicated at 29, a sliding connection being provided at 30 on the dock wall to permit the necessary movement lof the lazy tongs. In all other respects these eXtensible and contractile supporting frames for the side form sections are alike, and all of the sections are connected together to actl I pontoon moves downwardly with relation to the dock, it will readily be seen that the sectional bottom form is pulled gradually away from the bottom of the hull, and also that the shells are simultaneously pulled away..v

from the sides of the vessel hull.

Between the form sections 9 for the vessel bottom are spaces, comparatively narrow, that are filled by the rigid forms that are carried on the cross beams 4, comprisingI ,.v, blocks 37 and concrete top plates on these blocks as 38, upon which the hull bottomis built and these plates become embedded in the bottom and form part thereof, Metallic plates 39 extend transversely of the forms ,e

between the blocks, and these metal plates provide a continuous, smooth, bottom form, from bow to stern upon which the vessel lbottom is laid. Upon the keel girder is usually laid a strip 40, preferably of metal that becomes embedded in the keel of the boat 'i and forms an armor or guard plate therefor. By using the extensible frames for the side forms, different widths of boats may be accommodated, and the shell adjusted for l boats of different beam.

Claims:

1. In a mold for concrete ship building, the combination with a floating dock, having a submersible bottom portion and a sectional mold form supported thereon for receiving the bottom of the hull, and said dock adapted to support the completed hull after the pontoon is submerged.

2. In a mold for concrete ship building, the combination With a floating dock adapted to support the ship and having a relatively submersible part and a mold form on said part adapted to receive the material to form the bottom of the hull.

3. In a mold for concrete ship building, the combination with a floating support for the ship, of a submersible part thereof, and

means on said part for supporting a mold form for the bottom of the hull.

4. In a mold Jfor concrete ship building, the combination with a floating dock adapted to support a completed ship and means thereon forming mold forms for the side of the hull, of a submersible bottom portion to the dock and a form supported thereon to receive the material of the hull bottom.

5. In a mold for concrete ship building, the combination with a lioating dock adapted to support a completed ship and provided with extensible means and mold forms for the sides of the hull, of a submersible pontoon and mold forms thereon for receiving the material for the bottom of the hull.

6.. In a mold the combination With a loat ing dock having an open central Well and an independent submersible pontoon in the Well, of mold forms carried by the dock for receiving the material for the sides of the hull, and mold forms carried by the pontoon loiilreceiving material for the bottom of the 7. In a mold the combination with a oating, submersible, dock having a central Well and an independent submersible pontoon in the Well, of mold forms carried by the pontoon for receiving the material for the bottom of the hull, and said dock adapted to support the completed hull when the pon toon is submerged.

8. In a mold the combination with a l0ating, submersible, dock having a central well and an independent submersible pontoon in the Well, of transversely adjustable mold forms carried by the dock for receiving material for the sides of the vessel, and mold forms carried by the pontoon for receiving material for the bottom of the vessel.

9. In a mold the combination in concrete ship building construction of continuous side shells and means for withdrawing said shells, and said shells having hinges therein to permit Withdrawal of the bow and stern sections of the shells, as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

CLARENCE Z. HUBBELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

